Home Fire Safety Self Assessment Form - 10 questions on Fire Safety within the Home
Welcome to the Self Assessment Check
Please read and answer the questions below. Your risk rating is listed below each answer.
Risk ratings are:
Well Done/Low Risk - Your home safety is satisfactory in this category
Medium Risk - Care needs to be taken to ensure the effects of the risk are minimised.
High Risk - Potentially high impact effects. These areas need immediate attention to help reduce risk and make your home a safer place.
10 questions
1. Do you have a working smoke alarm?
High Risk A smoke alarm is your early warning system, which will detect and alert you to a fire. If there is a fire in your home, a smoke alarm will give you valuable time to escape. The noise of your smoke alarm should alert you even when you are asleep. The majority of deaths in house fires happen between 10pm and 8am. To find out more about smoke alarms, click here.
Well Done You have demonstrated good fire safety
2. Do you have a Fire Escape Plan?Medium Risk. Make sure you and your family have an
Escape Plan. Test it on a Monthly basis, and make sure no obstacles block your route out.
Well Done you have demonstrated good Fire Safety
3. Do you have an 'open' fire in any of the rooms?
Lower Risk of starting a fire in the home
Medium Risk Open fires should always have a fireguard around them (especially if you have young children in the home). Never leave newspapers, fuels (logs, coal etc.) and clothing around the fireplace or on the fireguard. Chimneys should be regularly swept and well maintained.
4. Do you have any portable heaters?Lower Risk of starting a fire in the home
Medium Risk Portable heaters should NEVER be used for drying wet clothes. Do not sit closer than 1 metre to a heater, or move it closer than 1 metre from any other furniture.
5. Are fires left to burn overnight?Lower Risk of starting a fire in the home
High Risk Under NO circumstances should a fire be left unattended, to burn overnight. Ensure all fires are FULLY extinguished and portable heaters switched off before going to bed. 6. Do you have a bedtime fire safety routine?Medium Risk Many fires in the home start at night. Ensure you do the following before going to bed:
• Switch off and unplug all electrical appliances unless they are specifically designed to stay on.
• Ensure all smoking materials are extinguished and NEVER smoke in bed.
• Ensure contents of ashtrays are cold before emptying into a bin.
• Fully extinguish any open fires and switch off any portable heaters.
• Close doors to all rooms (this helps prevent fire from spreading).
ENSURE YOU HAVE A WORKING SMOKE ALARM Well Done you have demonstrated good fire safety. (Ensure all the family are aware of the routine)
7. Do you use candles in the home?
Lower Risk of starting a fire in the home.
Medium Risk Fires happen when candles and incense burners are in use because:
• They are left unattended.
• We fall asleep without putting them out.
• We don't use the right kind of holders.
• We put them too close to clothing and furnishings.
To find out more information about candle safety, click here.8. Are people allowed to smoke in your house?Lower Risk of starting a fire in the home.
Medium Risk Always use an ashtray when smoking and NEVER flick ash directly into a bin. Do not leave burning cigarettes and pipes unattended. Extinguish smoking materials completely.
Remember: PUT IT OUT, RIGHT OUT.
9. Do you have a Fire Action Plan?
Medium Risk Would you or you family know what to do if your home was on fire? Ensure you have a designated escape route within the home and that this route is kept clear of obstacles. For more information on a Fire Action Plan, click here
Well Done You have demonstrated good fire safety.
10. Do you use a open chip pan or open fat fire?
Lower Risk of starting a fire in the home.
High Risk Follow these guidelines to help prevent a fat fire in the home:
• Never fill a pan more than a third full of fat
• Never leave the pan unattended if the hob is on
• Never put food in a chip pan if the oil begins to smoke
• Turn off the heat and leave the oil to cool, otherwise it can catch fire.
• Never put water on a chip pan fire
Please review your answers and if you are in any doubt please don't hesitate to contact us at the Fire and Rescue Service.
+ 44 (0) 1534 633567
Community Safety Officer 
Or alternativly if you wish to print off a copy of a Home Fire Safety Check list, fill it out and mail it to us then please do so by clicking on the link below.
Home Fire Safety Check (printable version) 
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